Joys Of Laughter
by Gabbyretro
Summary: Evil hides in many places.Della, tells you about her younger childhood and how she had to deal with things like, having a blind brother, to having a father coming back into their lives. But, what is her father's real motive? What are the secrets?


The Joys Of Laughter

_There is nothing a blind boy cannot see. I have heard he who sees all things can see no more than his face._ I walked down Crashow Alley that night. Olli, was about fourteen of age then. Nothing else mattered at that time but Olli. I was sixteen of age. I had to take care of him. Poor, naïve Olli. He was blind but to me he was rather deaf. He always knew when I smiled when I frowned and when I cried. He acted as if he never heard a word I have ever said.

He never tried to actually listen to me. His mind was a mystery, even to me. At school no one ever understood Olli. They treated him differently because he was blind. Nobody ever knew when he was sad, or happy. When he is happy he would smile. When he is sad he would smile too, just to let people think he is as tough as he wanted everyone to believe he was. When Olli and I were very young, my mother bought Olli and me a chess set. Oh, was it a beauty.

All the pieces were made of glass. It was a black and white chess set. As I described how beautiful it was to Olli all he could do was smile, and gazed as if he could actually see the chessboard. In a few seconds after mother said it was all ours. Olli felt his way to the kitchen from the living room and hugged mother. "Thank you mama," he said. The only thing mother could do was squeeze him tight, but she had a sad look on her face. She glanced at me with a frown, she knew Olli could never play the game because of his disadvantage. A few days later I told Olli the point of the game. Olli learned that you had to be able to see to play the game. Although he was sad he smiled at me. I designed a way that Olli could play. I carved circles and diamonds in a pattern on the clear plastic chess set.

I taught Olli the pattern. The squares that were white had circles carved at the corner. The ones that were black had diamonds carved at the corner. When we started playing I let him touch every piece I moved so he would know where Id move my pieces. I won every day we played. Olli just smiled at the end of each gamed. The last thing Olli said to me that day made me cry all night.

"Della since I am blind will I ever be able to do anything?"

All I could say was mmhmm, and sent him to bed. It was Thursday and Olli and I could not have been more excited. It was the day Aunt Helem was coming to visit. Olli and I both knew what that meant, free candy and nasty kisses. Every time Aunt Helem would visit shed bring us a pot full of candy and a bunch of kisses from her scrubby lips. Olli hated the kisses because Aunt Helem always wore dark lipstick that left a mark on his face and he never knew when it was off his cheeks because, Id kid with him and say it was still on his cheeks when it was really all off.

"Oh, well, isn't it my little nephew and niece, looking gorgeously groomed from head to toe."

Shed always say that when she first walks in the door. Then mother and her would smile and give each other a hug. She pouted the candy on the table for Olli and me. When mom and Aunt Helem walked in the dining room Olli and I knew that was our cue to eat all the candy we could stuff in out mouths. But mom heard Olli drop a piece of candy and said

"Del, Olli, no candy till after dinner."

Olli mocked her quietly and we both started laughing. The next morning was an early morning. Aunty had us wake up early so that we can see her boyfriend on TV. Aunt Helem was a young single woman. She never planned to get married unless her groom was rich. When Olli and I came down the stairs we found ourselves hovered over the couch. Aunt Helems boyfriend was a middle-aged man with a really bad case of winking. He was the weather man on channel four. He had brown long hair that went to his shoulders, and his legs were long and slim. His eyes were green and warm. I felt myself admiring him and gazing at the TV screen.

"Sent he just the greatest?"

Aunt Helem was so caught up in this guys web. As my mom stood in the corner giggling Olli tugged on my shirt and asked "What's so funny, what is he doing?" I glanced at my mom and looked at the TV screen and there the weather man was, winking away as if he couldn't restrain himself. As I started laughing I tapped Olli on the shoulder and said

"His w.. winking….. nonstop. I caught myself falling on the couch laughing. "He doesn't stop winking, like this?" Olli said.

Than he started winking just like the weather man. He started swirling on the ground winking out of the spur of our entertainment. Momma, Olli, and I started laughing.

"Oh, stop it already." Aunty said.

She leaned against the wall and said he's going to be big some day. She said.

"Mommy if I become a plumber will I be big someday?" Olli said, while laughing.I tried to hold it in but I just couldn't stop laughing. Olli comment just put the icing on the cake. Aunty Helem tried to hold her laugh in but she couldn't, as soon as I knew it Aunty started laughing. It was after six in the morning and we heard the doorbell.

oh its him!" Aunty squealed.

She ran and answered the door. Olli and I ran to the door and stood behind aunty waiting for her to move out the way so we could see who it was. As soon as I saw the face I shook Olli and said "the weather man, it's the weather man, with the winking problem." As Aunt Helem kissed the weather man she glanced at us and called mama to the living room. When mom came in the living room she had a stunned look on her face and said

"What a surprise, I never had a weather man in my house before."

Mommy glanced and smiled at me signaling me to restrain my giggles.

"Oh, I see I don't have to introduce myself, but ill do it any way." You're the weather man! Olli shouted. "Indeed I am and what's your name little boy?" "My names Olli and I heard you on TV today." It seemed as if Olli was very excited to meet the weather man, although he hated listening to the news. Right after the weather man made a slight smile at Olli he threw out his hand and was expecting a hand shake from Olli. Come on, I don't have cooties. He said. Aunty whispered something to the weather man and he tucked his hand back into his pants pocket. Well, it's very nice to meet you Olli. Helem has told me so much about you all, but I feel so impolite I haven't even introduced myself properly."

My name is James Goodwill. I like Mr. Weather man better, Olli said. My mom cleared her throat and said I'm sorry Mr. Goodwill my name is Shelly, Helems sister.

"Oh, well I made us all breakfast. Aunt Helem said.

Mommy, Olli and I are gonna go outside. I said. "Okay, stay in the backyard, mom said. When Olli and I went outside Olli ran in front of me and did a real good imitation of Mr. Weather Man. He stood up winking and said "why, indeed, my name is James Goodwood. Its Goodwill, I said. We both started laughing until Molly Casting came skipping across the street. Molly Casting was one of the richest girls in our town. Her father was a very successful real estate sells person. She was a very spoiled girl. She wore her hair always in a bow, and had the most beautiful blonde rich hair that came to her back.

She treated everyone and anyone who was less rich than her like dirt. She loved to make fun of Olli but she liked to not make it obvious that she was. Hey, have you guys heard of that nursery rhyme called The Three Blind Mice? She said it with her head tilted high in the clouds. What's that? I said. "You heard me loud and clear Della." Why wont you just can it Molly! As I tried to shut Molly up I looked at Olli. He was just sitting on the grass and smiling.

Don't you know how to do anything but smile Olli? She shouted as skipping away. Yeah he does, and that's ignoring you! I shouted. As I looked at him he gave me a slight frown and said "You don't have to defend me Della". I'm just not gonna let her talk to anyone she wants like that you know, if you stood up for yourself for once maybe I wouldn't have to defend you. Just as I turned around Olli was all ready heading to go back inside the house. I felt a little guilty for what I said to Olli that afternoon, but it was the truth. After a few months past me and Olli could almost smell the cookies mom were baking.

That morning was the second day of December and their was already snow on the ground. Olli loved the snow. He loved everything about winter. He loved the feeling of Christmas coming up. He loved the smell of Christmas trees. He loved the laughter of children playing outside. But I was the complete opposite. Its not that I did'nt like Christmas its just that I did'nt like the snow and cold. Olli would always ask me to go outside with him to make snow angels and I wouldn't even step a foot out the house. I rather spent my time inside on the Christmas play our school always had every year. That year I was gonna try extra hard, because I actually had a chance to play the role of "The Virgin Mary". Every year they pick only a fifth grader to play the role of Mary, so that was my year I was finally a fifth grader. Mommy always wanted Olli to play a role in the play but Olli hated acting.

He thought he had no talent. That day when I was practicing my lines mommy made Olli come and act with me. He cried because he wanted to go outside but mom said "Olli, acting is very useful, it could get you into and out of anything". I actually took her words for granted and acted every morning after. The next week it was the tryouts for the play. Mrs. Carehung was sitting on her chair in the gymnasium. I was very nervous because "The Virgin Mary" was considered the best role in the play so a lot of people would audition for that role, even boys. The line was super long. But one person, one thing, standing in the line caught me off guard, and I mean in a bad way. Of course Molly was in the line standing with her nose so tilted up that if it rained she'd probably drown.

"So where's Olli? She asked. "Well he's not here right now may I take a message"? I said sarcastically.

Well tell Olli that I said see ya later. Then she started laughing. Her laugh was the worst sound in the world, well besides uncle Earl's. But it sounded like nails scratching a chalkboard while a cat screams from anger. Unlike Olli the things she says gets to me. As she walked on the stage Mrs. Carehung smiled and said "Well, aren't you just the cutest little angel, what role will you be auditioning for sweetie"? I wanna be "The Virgin Mary" ma'am. Well lets see whacha have in store. Mrs. Carehung said. As Molly was up their acting I was thinking about Molly's chances of getting the part. I realized no matter what Molly is never in heaven gonna play that role because every year Mrs. Carehung has a girl that has brown or black hair to play the role of Mary.

That's just the way she liked it. Molly is blonde, I thought happily. As soon as I looked up sure that little spoiled Molly dolly wouldn't get the part, what did I hear? Oh, wonderful, marvelous, you are just the cutest little dolly I've ever seen. Mrs. Carehung said. Not only can I act Mrs. Carehung, I can sing, I can dance, and I can balance a book on my head for five seconds. Molly said. An awe came over all the grown ups in the gymnasium including Mrs. Carehung. After that I was sure Ms. Molly Dolly got the part. Later that day, it started snowing harder. Mom cooked red beans and rice for dinner, Olli's favorite.

How would you feel if your father came to visit? Daddy's coming. Olli shouted. Mom cleared her throat and said yes, for a couple of weeks.The only thing I can remember my self thinking was through all the years before never, never have I seen my father. Face to face. Olli met him a couple of times, but not me. When I was born mommy had no money, no car, no nothing. All she had was my father. My father did nothing but steal money from her or, put her into misery. After mommy figured that it was'nt a good choice for me to stay with her she had my grandmother keep me until I was 2 years old. After she had Olli I never seen my dad. I know I should be happy that I finally get to meet my father but, I wasn't happy. I was scared, I was nervous. Will he like me? Will he be proud to call me his daughter?

After dinner, and after mommy put Olli to bed, she came into my room and said "I know this may be hard for you to meet your father for the first time, but please be on your best behavior. Mommy do you still love dad? I asked. Yes, I love him, and I always will. But your dad has his own life and I have mine. We chose to divorce, and I did and still do think that its the best decision. She kissed me goodnight and left my room. Although mommy didn't say it I knew that for some reason she didn't want dad to visit. I just didn't know why. In the morning I got Olli and we both went downstairs waiting for our father to ring the doorbell. It was nine in the morning and while I was upstairs doing my hair, Olli screamed and started yelling

"Daddy's here! He's here!


End file.
